Notorious Bandit Leader Bello Turji Kills 11 Farmers in Sokoto Attack
Bello Turji, a notorious bandit leader, has reportedly killed 11 farmers in Lugu town, Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State, following an attack on Wednesday morning. The killings occurred as Turji and his men were returning from a Sallah visit.
A local resident, Basharu Altine Giyawa, confirmed the brutal killings, explaining that locals had been aware of Turji’s planned movement to the eastern part of Gatawa in Sabon Birni Local Government Area since Saturday. Despite this, security agencies failed to respond effectively to the intelligence provided by the community.
Giyawa recounted, “Turji and his men left Fakai, his village in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State, passed through several communities in Isa, and attended Sallah celebrations. On their return, they brutally killed 11 farmers.”
The attack has raised serious concerns about the effectiveness of security operations in the region. Giyawa blamed the killings on the failure of security forces to act on the intelligence shared by locals, which he believes could have prevented the tragedy.
Sani Abubakar, a local security official, confirmed the incident, noting that security personnel had received reports of Turji’s movement. However, Abubakar denied that Turji celebrated Sallah in any of the communities under his jurisdiction. He further explained, “We deployed security measures in Sabon Birni to prevent his entry. This may have triggered his anger, leading to the attack on innocent farmers in Isa.”
Other sources revealed that Turji had stopped in Tozai village during his journey, where he killed the leader of a local vigilante group before continuing his path.
In response to the attack, ASP Ahmad Rufa’i, the spokesman for the Sokoto State Police Command, stated that the military, responsible for security in the area, would be the only authority to confirm the incident. Efforts to get a response from the Nigerian Army, particularly Lt Col. Abdullahi, the Coordinator of the Joint Media Coordination Centre for Operation Hadarin Daji, were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.
